June Birthstones

June 7, 2017

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June is one of only two months that has three birthstones! They are pearl, Alexandrite, and moonstone.

Birthstones have changed over the years. In the 15th-20th century for instance, the June birthstones were considered to be cat’s eye, turquoise, and agate while in 1912 that moved to pearl and moonstone in the U.S. This is further complicated when the Zodiacal gemstones get involved, agate and emerald both fall in June.

So where do these come from? Well the traditional birthstones were decided by the societies of the times, many of them around the Gregorian calendar. In an effort to standardize the practice of birthstones, the National Association of Jewelers (now the Jewelers of America) met and officially adopted the standard. In 1952 they updated it, adding Alexandrite to June, pink tourmaline for October, and citrine for November.

While some say that the current list isn’t anything more than marketing, the tradition remains popular as people enjoy having a specific style, a stone that marks them different from others. And the stones themselves still have meaning. Pearl for instance is associated with purity and is known as the stone of sincerity.

There are other New Age additions to the idea of birthstones like thoughts that Alexandrite can enhance a person’s empathic abilities. While we can’t vouch for those ideals, we can say that pearl, moonstones, and Alexandrite are all lovely and can be magnificent gems for jewelry.